“I beg to place the following resolution before the council for its consideration.…the state should accept in this country the same responsibility in regard to mass education that the government of most civilized countries are already discharging and that a well considered scheme should be drawn up and adhered to till it is carried out.. The well being of millions upon millions of children who are waiting to be brought under the influence education depends upon it...”
 
The above words are part of the resolution which Gopal Krishna Gokhale moved in the Imperial Legislative Council on 18th march, 1910 for seeking provision of ‘Free and Compulsory Primary Education” in India. This initiative must however be seen as part of the following sequence of events:

1870: Compulsory Education Act passed in Britain

1882: Indian Education Commission: Indian leaders demand provision for mass

education and Compulsory Education Acts.

1893: Maharaja of Baroda introduces Compulsory Education for boys in Amreli Taluk.

1906: Maharaja of Baroda extends Compulsory Education to rest of the state.

1906: Gopal Krishna Gokhale makes a plea to Imperial Legislative Council for

introduction of Free And Compulsory Education

1910: Gokhale proposes Private members Bill (Rejected)

1917: Vithalbhai Patel is successful in getting the Bill passed - First Law on

Compulsory Education passed (Popularly Known as Patel Act)

1918-: Every Province in British India gets Compulsory Education Act on its

1930 Statute Book

1930: Hartog Committee Recommendation for better quality (less focus on quantity)

hinders spread and development of primary education

Many of these initiatives, however, were not seriously implemented; lack of resources and enforcement being the chief reasons.